Clamping device



' Jam.. 31, 1939. H. D. AYER CLAMPING DEVICE Filed March 30, 1937 Patented Jan. 31, 1939 l UNiTE STTES l CLAMPING DEVICE Herbert D. Ayer, Fairfield, Maine Application March 30, 1937, Serial No. 133,902

3 Claims. (Cl. 24-8l) This invention relates to an improved clamp as a whole by the numeral 3, and comprises a and pertains particularly to a clamp for applicamain body portion l which consists initially or tion to a metal roof. a blank A of metal such as is illustrated in Fig. 4

The present invention has for its primary oband which is of a substantial length and is cut 5 ject to provide an improved clamp for applicainwardly longitudinally from each end, as indi- 5 tion to a metal roof whereby a ladder or other cated at 5, to form the two leg portions 5 and the structure may be mounted upon the roof and solid central portion l, which may be referred secured thereto through the medium of the clamp to as a saddle. The blank, after cutting in the so as to prevent it moving or slipping under the manner shown in Fig. 4, is bent longitudinally l0 weight of a body mounted on the ladder. through the saddle portion so as to bring the two v10 Another object of the invention is to provide an arms 6 at each end into side-by-side relation, as improved roof clamp which may be easily and is illustrated in Fig. 3. These arms thus become quickly applied to one of the seams forming a clamping members which are compressed, as part oi the usual metal or tin roof, which will hereinafter described, to grip between them the securely grip the seam so as to hold a ladder or seam 2 of the roof. l5 other structure against slipping and without dam- The opposing inner faces ofthe clamping arms aging the metal of the roof. 6, of which there are two pairs as shown in Fig. 2,

A still further object of the invention is to are covered by a suitable lining substance such provide a novel roof seam engaging clamp in as rubber or a rubberized fabric, as indicated at :ao which two clamping members are provided which 8 in Fig. 3. 20 are adapted to engage over the seam and a pair After forming the blank as described to bring of compressing members are pivotally attached the clamping arms 6 into side-by-side relation, thereto which will press the clamping members there is secured to the top of the saddle portion into gripping action with the seam so as to firmly l, a saddle block 9 through which are passed the hold the seam without injuring the same. two pivot pins Iii each of which has pivotally The invention will be best understood from a attached thereto the spaced curved furcations Il consideration of the following detailed description formed at the end of a channeled compressing taken in connection with the accompanying barV I2. Each of these bars I2 is oscillatable drawing forming part of this specication, with upon a pin I and when moved in one direction :3o the understanding, however, that the invention is straddles a pair of clamping arms 6 and, due to 30 not coniined to any strict conformity with the the transverse sectional configuration of the showing of the drawing but may be changed or compressing bar, forces the clamping arms tomodied so long as such changes or modicagether when the bar is moved in the position relations rnark no material departure from the tive to the clamping arms in which it is shown 3.; salient features of the appended claims. in Fig. 2.

In the drawing: Each of the compressing bars l2 is of greater Figure 1 is a View in plan of a portion of a roof length than the clamping arms so as to provide and a seam, showing the clamp embodying the the end extension I 3 which constitutes a handle present invention applied to the seam. by means of which the bar may be moved into or .1U Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and `out of operative position. 40 partly in longitudinal section of the clamp per se. Secured in any suitable manner to the cen- Fig. 3 is a View in transverse section on the trally positioned saddle block 9 is a ring or eye line 3 3 of Fig. l. lil, and when the ridge clamp is in position upon Fig. 4 is a plan view of a blank which is folded a roof ridge, as illustrated in Fig. 1, this eye may .1.5 to form a part of the clamp structure. have coupled therewith the hooks l5 carried upon 45 Fig. 5 is a View in bottom plan of the central the ends of a section of chain I6, which has been portion of the clamp device. passed around a rung il of a ladder, which Referring now more particularly to the drawis laid upon the surface of the roof between two ing the numeral I designates a portion of the ridges. It will thus be seen that a ladder placed metal roof, such roof being usually formed of upon a roof in the manner illustrated will be 50 strip-s of metal such as tin or copper, which have securely held against movement by the chain their adjoining edges secured together by an upafter it has been attached to the ladder in the standing seam or ridge, which is indicated by the manner described and has had its ends coupled numeral 2 and which the present clamp device with the clamp through the medium of the grips when it is in use. The clamp is indicated eye I4. 55

While the block 9 has been illustrated as having a ring or eye secured thereto, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to this specific detail, as any other suitable means of attaching a rope or chain to the clamp may be employed.

What is claimed, is:

1. A metal roof ridge engaging clamp, comprising a body having a pair of relatively long spaced parallel clamping arms extending therefrom, said arms being of sulicient width to cover the sides of the roof ridge, a friction covering overlying the opposed faces of the clamping arms, a compressing bar of substantially U-shape crosssectional design and of greater length than the arms, means pivotally coupling one end of the bar with the body, the other end of the bar extending beyond the adjacent ends of the arms and constituting a handle facilitating the oscillation of the bar, and means for attaching a exible element to the body.

2. A roof ridge clamp, comprising a body having a central portion and two pairs of clamping arms extending in opposite directions therefrom, said clamping arms being in spaced parallel relation and resilient to facilitate their being moved relative to one another, a pair of compressing bars each having a length greater than a pair of arms and each having a substantially U-shape cross-sectional design, means pivotally coupling one end of each compressing bar with the central portion of the body whereby the bars extend in opposite directions and in a manner to receive the adjacent pair of arms when oscillated toward the latter, the other end of each of said bars extending beyond the free ends of the adjacent arms and constituting an actuating handle, friction means lining the opposed faces of said gripping arms, and means for attaching a exible coupling element to the central portion of the body.

3. A clamp, comprising an elongated member consisting cf a central portion of U-cross section and oppositely directed pairs of spaced parallel arms integral with said portion, the arms of one pair being longitudinally alined with the arms of the other pair and with the sides of the central portion from which they project, said central portion having the back thereof set outwardly from the plane of the adjacent edges of the arms, an eye carried by said back of the central portion, and a compressing bar for each pair of arms consisting of an elongated member of U-crcss section having two curved ears projecting from one end to receive a portion of the said central portion and pivot means coupling the ears of each compressing bar with the central portion whereby each bar may be oscillated in a direction to engage and compress the adjacent pair of arms therebetween and each compressing bar extending at its free end beyond the free ends of the arm engaged therein to provide a handle.

HERBERT D. AYER, 

